A good friend of mine, Richard Goldberg, has taught a senior level engineering project class focusing on assistive technology, through UNC’s biomedical engineering department since 1998. Over the years, his students have changed people’s lives, and I am sure that the student’s lives have been changed by taking this class. The video below, produced by UNC, demonstrates the effectiveness of a good educator working to bring out the best in students, and the value for society that such interaction can foster.

It is sadly ironic that while UNC students are away for the summer, North Carolina’s Republican led General Assembly has enacted a budget with massive cuts in secondary and post-secondary education. Government has few responsibilities more important than education, and for North Carolina to walk away from that responsibility is a real tragedy. We have yet to see how this budget will affect the UNC system, but it already is having an impact on secondary education. Trying times ahead for the Old North State.